Summer Sagas

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

I’m “back” in the saddle again and out one month + from back fusion surgery – now able to drive, walk around the neighborhood and Beerchase again – no golf for several months and until physical therapy is done.

The new COVID strain is again dampening my efforts to visit new establishments with friends; however, my next post will be about a wonderful dive bar in my Oregon “hometown” – Oregon City (the oldest incorporated city west of the Rocky Mountains).

In March, I visited Howell’s Lounge twice in the same week – the first time with two semi-retired lawyers and fellow Oregon City High School grads –  Pat Green (’65) and Beerchasing regular and former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter, Jim Westwood (’62).  I graduated in 1966. 

I returned the next evening – a Saturday night for dinner with my wife, Janet, and Pat and his wife, Leona.  Both outings were very enjoyable and the memories took us back many years.

The bar’s history – opened in 1929 by the Howell Family, who operated until the twin brothers, Frank and Charlie retired in 1978 – deserves a post of it’s own, so stay tuned.  

Green and Westwood return to their “roots!”

A “spire” for Greatness, but Don’t Fall “Prey” to Initial Success

In August, 2021, when COVID appeared to be on one of its downswings, I had lunch at the new Steeplejack Brewery in NW Portland.  I had talked previously to Brody Day, the co-owner, who with his former college buddy, Dustin Harder, opened the new brewpub in early 2021 in what was previously an historic church in NE Portland.

The church was originally dedicated In 1909 by then President of the United States, William Howard Taft, as the First Universalist Church of Good Tidings which then became Metropolitan Community Church until it moved in 2019.

In a September blog post, I showed some photos illustrating how these two entrepreneurs had done a wonderful job – at great expense – to preserve this building which otherwise, would have become another urban condominium.

And for a number of reasons – maybe Oregon’s only all-female brewing staff (led by Brewmaster Anna Buxton), their commitment to historic preservation, the location and the fact that they brew good beer – the brewery was greeted with enthusiasm.   As stated in the July 21, 2021 edition of New School Beer and Cider:

“In this rare instance, the real-life experience of entering the church of beer actually exceeds expectations and presents a truly, stunningly beautiful place that will make you believe in a higher power.”

Day and Harder are entrepreneurs and do not rest on their laurels or pews. In the spring of 2022, a second location opened in Beaverton – an expansive establishment like the original.   It seats about 200 people and is the former home of another pub – they remodeled and again made significant capital improvements. 

Like the original pub, the menu is somewhat limited – pizza and salads and some sides rice balls, polenta and side dishes.  (External photo credits at end of this post *1)

According to New School Beer and Cider (2/17/22) the second location was not a spur of the moment decision:

“(It – the Beaverton location was) in the works since before the brewery even opened their doors as part of a grander plan to serve not only the inner city but the broader Oregon market.

‘We wanted to find the right location where we could be part of the neighborhood and serve our neighbors beer and pizza in an place that is consistent with our flagship location in Northeast Portland,’ says managing partner Brody Day, who co-founded SteepleJack with longtime friend Dustin Harder. ‘We took a significant amount of time and toured a lot of properties to find the perfect location” says Day.'”

Now perhaps, the two young businessmen found a Bible from the church in their original location and read Genesis Chapter 9 – “Be fruitful and multiply…” because their momentum has continued as forcefully as the beer flowing from a keg at a fraternity pre-function.  As reported in Willamette Week:

“Just over a month after Steeplejack Brewing launched its second location—and a little under a year after opening its first—the company is expanding again. A third outpost will begin operations on Friday, July 1. 2022.”

The Hillsboro establishment – a 17,000 square foot facility in a former warehouse – “…the home of a taproom, beer garden and kitchen as well as a small production brewery and canning line purchased from the now defunct Wiens Brewing of Temecula, California.”.(New School Beer and Cider 7/12/21.)

Steeplejack was subsequently named “Best New Brewery” at the 2022 Oregon Beer Awards.  (*3-4)

Steeplejack is a great story and the co-owners deserve credit for their immediate success.  That said, in the eleven years since I started this hobby – and most notably in the last three, I’ve seen numerous breweries – starting off with unbelievable acclaim and positive financial results exceeding any expectation.  

These once-bustling establishments are now gone or struggling to stay afloat – and many had effective management and loyal customers, but withered under increasing competition, staffing issues and costs.  Admittedly, I know nothing about how Steeplejack is capitalized and the strength of their income statement since opening, but I hope in five years, we can continue to toast their success in all of their locations. 

My Way or the Highway??

We’ve all read about small planes which have made emergency landings on highways in the past.   For example, the photo below is one from 2012, after a small airplane made an emergency landing on Oregon  Highway11 approximately 17 miles east of Pendleton.

The highway was closed for a short period to move the aircraft off the main highway and then was closed again for a short time to allow the plane to take off. (*4)

But the one last week in Missouri is worth noting for two reasons:

  1. The plane was piloted by a student pilot without another pilot in the plane and ran out of gas.
  2. The student pilot was arrested for DUI (Driving Under the Influence)

According to NBC News:

“A student pilot who landed a small plane on a Missouri highway early Friday was arrested on charges including driving while intoxicated, authorities said. (emphasis added)

The pilot of the single-engine Piper Cherokee landed the plane about 2:45 a.m. on Interstate 70 near Grain Valley, a city about 22 miles east of Kansas City, Mo. The Missouri Highway Patrol tweeted that the plane ran out of fuel, hastening the freeway arrival, and hit a guardrail.

……35-year-old John T. Seesing, was hospitalized with a minor injury before being booked into jail, according to highway patrol….Seesing also faces allegations of careless and imprudent driving involving a crash, felony drug and gun possession, and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to an arrest report.”

It will be interesting to see how his lawyer fights the charges e.g. does DUI apply to an airplane on a highway, does the Highway Patrol have jurisdiction, etc.

It reminds me of a fascinating case in Lincoln City, Oregon on the Coast Highway 101, on October 16, 2012. One James Greene, exited a bar in his motorized wheelchair and proceeded across the crosswalk whereupon he hit a moving pickup truck. (*5)

He was subsequently convicted of DUI by a jury, fined $1,500, had his driver’s license suspended – ultimately for three years – and lost his insurance.  But when he appealed, a 2016 panel of the Oregon Court of Appeals unanimously reversed his conviction with the logic “…..that a person merely crossing the street should be considered a pedestrian, and therefore not a ‘person who drives a vehicle.'” (emphasis added)

The Court carved out this exception and didn’t buy the State’s assumption that a vehicle is “any device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway and includes vehicles that are propelled or powered by any means.” (*6)

Had Greene been in the bicycle lane or on the roadway, his appeal would probably been unsuccessful.

So will a Missouri jury buy the the assertion that an airplane (and one out of gas no less) “operating” on a public highway is a “vehicle” and will the pilot’s arrest for DUI stick.  The lawyers will love this one!

Darwin’s Theory Evolves…

Those who follow this blog know that one of my favorite dive bars is Darwin’s Theory in Anchorage, Alaska.   And my affection for the bar is not just because Darwin, the owner, is an Oregon State University alum.   

There’s no draft beer or hard liquor, but free popcorn, a great juke box, the “Heavy Petting Zoo” in the backroom!.. and the staff and patrons are wonderful (including the late and great bartender, Mary Jean, shown in the picture above.)

This Yelp review will help affirm my sentiments:

“When you step inside, you’ll realize that this is no hipster dive bar.  No sir!  This has been a dive bar since inception and doesn’t appear to have changed.  Beer in the bottle, great service, and interesting patrons round out the perfect dive-bar experience.”   Yelp – 11/13 by Eric from Nevada City, CA

And I’ll  always remember my conversation with a friendly guy I sat next to at the bar.  (This was in 2014 and we had eaten dinner at a brewery earlier, but at 9:30 it was still total daylight – I couldn’t sleep –  so I left Janet in our hotel room and  walked the two blocks to Darwin’s). 

Bill was in his fifties and an oil field worker, in addition to having fished in the Bering Sea and running marijuana from Mexico to the East coast in the ’70’s. “I had an old Lincoln with really big fenders….”  I also asked him about bars in Anchorage and he said to be careful because in the last few years there had been a few shootings at bars close by.

Big fenders for “storage”…*7

Well, Darwin publishes a quarterly newsletter and for those who are planning to visit Anchorage, I’m pleased to report that they have not let supply-chain issues deter them in 2022:

“The popcorn machine after nine years of constant production of our famous (free) popcorn, died.  You wouldn’t think finding a new machine would be so difficult.  But it was! 

The Ice Machine was a different matter.  After 17 years it too gave out.  That replacement was ‘easy squeezy.  There was one in town just waiting. The same-day replacement put Darwin’s back in business with anyone noticing.”   (*8)

Hot Popcorn

Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

*1  Steeplejack Beer Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/SteeplejackBeer/photos/408349128023453)

*2 Steeplejack Beer Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/SteeplejackBeer/photos/a.106656934859342/)

*3  Steeplejack Beer Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/SteeplejackBeer/photos/430725372452495)

4  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plane_takes_off_from_Oregon_11_.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author:   Oregon Department of Transportation – 8 November 2012.

*5  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electric-powered_wheelchair_Belize1.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Memas 15 June 2010.

*6  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Eo-scale_of_justice.gif)  The copyright holder of this work, releases this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.  2004

*7 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1979_Lincoln_Continental_Town_Car_)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  Greg Gjerdengen  28 May 2016.

*8   Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hot_Popcorn.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  Ssgapu22 

Jocular July

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*1

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

Farewell Mayor Bud

*2

You might wonder how the passing of an icon is consistent with the title of this blog post, but remembering Bud Clark brings smiles – if not laughs – to the people who knew this jovial bar owner. 

In 1984, he made national headlines running against the City of Portland political establishment and capturing an upset win in the Mayor’s Race. He passed away in February. (External photo attribution at the end of this post.)

Zap the Clap???

His “Expose Yourself to Art” poster which now hangs in the Smithsonian was originally going to be part of a campaign against venereal disease called “Zap the Clap.”  Whether it was seeing him ride to work at City Hall on his bicycle, his legendary exclamation “Whoop Whoop! “or just running into him at the Goose Hollow Inn that he opened in 1967 his charisma prevailed.  And Bud was a very effective elected official during his two terms.

One of the best memories of my now eleven years of Beerchasing was visiting the Goose Hollow in 2012 with friend Jim Westwood (former Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter) and the late Oregonian history columnist, John Terry. 

I had called the Goose and asked if Bud still came to the bar and he agreed to meet us.  He gave me an interview and spent 90 minutes with us, bought our beer and gave us each an historical tract about the Goose Hollow Neighborhood.  The bar is now  managed by his daughter Rachel.   

Bud’s charisma, efforts to help the downtrodden and civic and entrepreneurial spirit will long be remembered.

Back to the “Fusion”

One of my pet peeve is blogs or columns where the author goes into excruciating detail about his or her personal health and well-being. Well, without trying to be hypocritical and realizing I may lose some followers, I offer the following chronicle – rationalizing that the narrative has some beer-related content and also explains why the last Beerchaser post was almost one month ago.

The story began last November where I ended up in the Emergency Room of our local hospital with severe back pain – enough so that I received some narcotics to mitigate the pain while they did an MRI.

My only prior back problems were a short-term “pulled vertebrae” issue during high school basketball and with Navy ROTC drills in college.  The ER doc referred me to a spine surgeon.

*3

After getting two opinions, both docs opined that they would avoid just a discectomy or decompression, but undergo a fusion – the more radical procedure where your body becomes host to screws and other fasteners that one normally procures at Ace Hardware.

That way, I wouldn’t be coming back again in three or four years for another trip to the OR. Some advised me to avoid a fusion, but I wanted to play golf, hike and hold my grandchildren again, so I had the operation on June 13th in a four-hour procedure. (By the way, the pictures below are not of me…..)

*4
*5

Well, three weeks out, I’m a relatively pain-free and a happy camper – now off narcotics so I can drink beer again….. So how does this story relate to beer:

My surgeon is a brilliant and personable young guy with impeccable credentials and outstanding communication skills. After a couple appointments and the decision, Janet and I met with him for the pre-op consultation two week prior to surgery, and part of our conversation went like this:

Doc:   Don, how’s your pain level?

Beerchaser:   Pretty good except when I sit for a period.  For example, I had to drive to Mount Angel (almost an hour drive) last week and I had to stop three times to get out and walk because of the pain.

Doc:   Why did you have to go to Mount Angel?

Beerchaser: I had a meeting of the Abbey Foundation Board.

Doc:  Have you been to the brewery down there?   My wife and I both love their beer.

Beerchaser:   I could go on for an hour why I love the Benedictine Brewery and how I became involved.

*6 One of only four owned and operated by monks in the US

Fast forward to the day after the surgery when he was doing his hospital rounds and after talking with me for ten minutes, he concluded:

“Don, the fact that you had such rapid mitigation of pain is very positive.  In six weeks we’ll be virtually high-fiving and toasting with Monk beer…”

This part of the story ends with my first post-op appointment – two weeks after the surgery and with his Physician’s Assistant. Knowing the surgeon likes Benedictine Beer, I put two bottles in a small bag with tissue paper and included a page long treatise about the Brewery story including two links to posts on Thebeerchaser where I told the story.

*7

I gave the bag to the receptionist and about fifteen minutes into the appointment with the PA, there was a knock on the exam room door and he walked in with a big smile on his face:

Doc:   As soon as I saw the contents in the bag, I knew where this came from. Thanks.

Beerchaser:  As soon as I found out that you liked Benedictine Beer, I knew I picked the right surgeon! 

(And for those who doubt the benefits of visiting the Benedictine Brewery and Taproom, check out this 2022 article “A Drink From This Benedictine Brewery Will Have You Thanking God for Beer!”) in the international publication Religion Unplugged.)

A few additional thoughts

If you find out that your surgeon favors Coors Light, you might want to get another opinion.

The Physical Therapist who initially met with me in the hospital said that they have two maxims:

  1. “Motion is the lotion…….”  (i.e. “Get your butt out of bed or your chair every twenty minutes.”)
  2. “Remember this rule for the next six weeks: ‘No BLT.”

At first I was shocked because I thought the “B” was for “Beer,” but was relieved to find out that the acronym stood for “Bending, Lifting and Twisting” – something I could live with although challenging to practice. 

I rationalized that shaving required me to bend so I used this opportunity to grow a beard for the first time since we dated in 1979.   Given the results after 2.5 weeks and at Janet’s urging, I figured out how to shave without bending on July 4th.

One final reflection. I have never been worried about my balance, but falling after back surgery can be disastrous, so we were fortunate to get a walker on loan from our church.

I told Janet that it’s a reflection on how things have changed in our lives when getting a walker is viewed as a really positive development….

*8 Not the Texas Ranger..

I’m pleased to report that I have now graduated to a cane to walk up and down stairs.  And I’ll use the cane for the next few weeks outside, because where we live most of the sidewalks have ups and downs.

I’ve tried to view this positively imagining the neighbors envision the F. Scott Fitzgarald figure, – a much older, Jay Gatsby, and his iconic walking stick ambling through our neighborhood.  (9-11)

Being confined to my house for the last 2.5 weeks has enhanced my reading and also internet diving.   And along the theme of “Jocular July” I offer these two which made me laugh.

Rain Forest in North America?

Eddie Burback is an actor and producer.  He and his buddy took a three-week 2022 road trip to eat at every remaining Rain Forest Cafe in the US and Canada – eighteen in all.   

At first I thought, “This guy is nuts,” but then realized that it would be hypocritical for me – a guy who has made a hobby of visiting bars and breweries throughout the US for the last eleven years to question this goal.  

*12 Eddie Burback
*13

I had eaten at two RFCs – one in Phoenix and one in downtown Chicago (permanently closed as of April this year) on business trips trying to skimp on my expense reimbursement. 

After checking out the start of his 2022 You Tube, I have to admit that I listened to the entire  thirty-six minute bit and it was entertaining.

Zoom Your Room….

We have watched an incredible number of ZOOM interviews on Cable News – primarily on political topics and Janet and I often commented about how stylish the living quarters of the interviewees usually are. 

Having participated in a number of ZOOM sessions ourselves, we also have wondered how our background looks.

*14 These people need help…..

I then discovered a book published last month: How to Zoom Your Room: Room Rater’s Ultimate Style Guide.    

“Packed with beautiful how-to illustrations that demonstrate visually stunning set-ups and tips from celebrity zoom rooms, Room Rater packs an amusing punch while offering advice on how to up your game and not be embarrassed by your surroundings.”

In Conclusion

So at least temporarily, block out the dispiriting and find some crazy or innovative items that will make you laugh or even lead you on an adventure.

This claim is perfectly stated in this excerpt from what became my favorite song during the pandemic by John Michael Montgomery – Life’s a Dance” – great melody and lyrics.

When I was fourteen I was fallin’ fast
For a blue eyed girl in my homeroom class
Tryin’ to find the courage to ask her out
Was like tryin’ to get oil from a waterspout
 
What she would have said I can’t say
I never did ask and she moved away
But I learned somethin’ from my blue eyed girl
Sink or swim you gotta give it a whirl
 
Life’s a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don’t worry about what you don’t know
Life’s a dance you learn as you go
 
Cheers!

External Photo Attribution

*1  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sharing_a_laugh_(15484499520).jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  Oregon Department of Transportation – 16 October 2014.

*2  Wikimedia Commons  Bud Clark (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bud_Clark_1988.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Steve Morgan  18 March 1988.

*3  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons   (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ER_logo.svg)   This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain.

*4  Public Domain – Wikimeidan Commons  (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1851539)  Mjorter at Dutch Wikipedia – Transferred from nl.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain. 

*5  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roe_LWS_Spondylodese_L5-S1_seitlich.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:PumpingRudi  16 November 2009.

*6 -7  Benedictine Brewery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BenedictineBrewery)

*8  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Walker._frame.jpg)  This work has been released into the public domain by its author, High Plains Drifter. This applies worldwide.  27 January 2006.

*9 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Une_canne_de_marchand_.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Fonquebure   21 March 2009.

*10  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F._Scott_Fitzgerald_(1929_photo_.jpg)  This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1927 and 1963, and although there may or may not have been a copyright notice, the copyright was not renewed. 

*11 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby#/media/File:Saturday_Evening cover.jpg)  In the public domain in the United States because it  was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1927.  Author:  Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle.

*12 Eddie Burback (https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/Eddy_Burback)

*13  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rainforest-cafe-auburn-hills-michigan.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Joetregembo  11 March 2016. 

*14  Wikimedia Commons – Public Domain (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoom_participants_Bubrikh_2020.png) Released worldwide into the public domain by its author http://AKA MBG.

Jumping in June

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Wesley Walter and Sullivan
John Runkle

(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

I’m still not fully back in the groove on exploits to new bars and breweries although I still have a few visited in the last few months to write-up, but first wanted to throw out a few miscellaneous topics which may be of interest.  These include dogs, the Dirty Shame Saloon and its former owner, John Runkle along with his new venture) and the Benedictine Brewery.

Grand-puppies!

Janet and I during the forty-three years we’ve been married, have never had a pet.  That said, our two daughters and their spouses each had wonderful dogs and they became our “Grand-puppies.”   We always looked forward to our visits with Sullivan – a wonderful thirteen-year old Havanese and Wesley – a beautiful six-year old Golden Retriever.

First there was “Sully Bear.”  He always waited with anticipation at the window for his “parents” to come home and was the ultimate lap dog – he loved to cuddle.

 Wesley loved to run and swim especially at the river and the beach.  A big dog, but he was always gentile with the babies at his house.

Both dogs were wonderful with our granddaughters and both loved the beach. They also got along very well with each other at family gatherings. 

We were grief-stricken on March 10, 2021, when Wesley, after a few cardiac episodes, died of a heart-attack.  Exactly one year later, his “brother” Sullivan succumbed to multiple health issues based on his advanced years.  The memorial stones below will always provide memories of these wonderful members of our family.

A Resurrection, of Sorts

Followers of Thebeerchaser know that I was captivated in the fall of 2019 with my two and one-half day visit to The Dirty Shame Saloon in Yaak Montana where I thoroughly enjoyed my interaction with its charismatic owner, John Runkle – one of this blog’s memorable Beerchasers-of-the-Quarter. 

The Shame remains my favorite bar visited in the eleven years of Beerchasing as reflected in the multiple blog posts needed to relate the rich history and stories of the fabled watering hole.

Thus, when John announced last year that he was selling the bar, I was downcast, thinking about how the many and robust fables which still lingered within the log walls of the bar would be lost – the second-hand smoke is largely gone….) . Now why should I be maudlin about a dive bar – 514 miles (8 hours and 38 minutes) – from my home in Oregon closing when I’ve visited and reviewed almost 400 incredible bars and breweries in the last eleven years?

Photo Jun 08, 3 53 24 PM

Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes???

Perhaps the short description excerpted from Joan Melcher’s first book “Watering Hole –  A User’s Guide to Montana Bars”  written in 1983 conveys some of that emotion:

“The Dirty Shame is the fresh, sharp smell of pine, and the dank odor of dirt-laden, beer splashed floors, wild nights of revelry and mornings of shared pain.”

It brought to mind the song “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes” by my favorite country-western singer, the late George Jones – (Okay maybe a little overdramatic, but remember, I’m Thebeerchaser!)

“Who’s gonna fill their shoes?
Who’s gonna stand that tall?
Who’s gonna give their heart and soul
To get to me and you?
Lord, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes?

Yes, I wonder who’s gonna fill their shoes?”

George Jones Asked the Rhetorical Question! *1

Would the out-of-state buyers, who also purchased the Yaak River Tavern across the street, retain the trappings described, in part, in my second blog post on the Shame: 

“…a large rifle, cowboy boots, an old wood stove, a pool table and Fox News on the big screen TV over the bar.  (The bullet holes in the wall when John bought it, from its hard-core biker days were removed after John bought it.) Two bottles of MD 20-20 wine prominently displayed on a shelf and which John says dates back to 1978.”

And the stories are incredible….even the more recent ones such as that reported in a December 1, 2017 edition of The Missoulian about a  Saturday night incident which John described in an e-mail to me when I told him I was coming to Yaak:

“Don, you will see an article where a guy went nuts in the Dirty Shame with an AR-15 and you will also see the video of me bear spraying him and his brother trying to fight their way back into the bar and another video embedded in that article showing him running around the parking lot trying to shoot me through the window and then almost shooting his brother in the head.  

It was a crazy night. The Dirty Shame is truly still the Wild Wild West.”

Then there’s the tales related to the Shame involving the Yaak River Road murderers, the “Crack Pillow” or how I was privileged to meet two personable and well-mannered relatives of Chevie Keyhole, the leader of the infamous Keyhoe Gang.  (Chevie is now serving three life sentences in Florence Prison – known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies” – in Colorado.) There are too many others to relate.

Murderer and White Supremist – now “rehabilitating” at the Alcatraz of the West….*2

The Dirty Shame was a community in itself and a key part of the Yaak locale.  What would replace its role in events like the Adult Easter Egg Hunt, the Sasquatch Festival and the Crawfish Festival which involved other attractions such as The Big Foot Run, a mechanical bull, a giant inflatable Sasquatch and the Ceremonial Leg-Shaving to name a few.

(The Dirty Shame has not reopened at this time and who knows what the new owners are doing to the interior of the bar.)

What would John, a former Army paratrooper and instructor, successful real estate firm owner and entrepreneur-at-heart do?  I couldn’t see him as Mayor of Yaak or another elected office – except possibly Governor of Montana…or talk-show radio host or land developer of environmentally responsible communities.  It should be noted that helping raise their three young children will significantly occupy what he self-describes as “the oldest and proudest dad in the World!”

Fortunately, that question has been answered – at least for a time.  John didn’t sell the Lodge and now — the Hungry Hunter Saloon – within the confines of that edifice opened just before  Memorial Day – it’s already having live music and events!  As John told me in a phone conversation this morning, “We’re rocking.”

He has some of the same crew who worked at the Dirty Shame including Darilyn.  Of course the “Montana Motif” as John described it, is present with taxidermy, artifacts of the West and even a skunk hanging over the bathroom doors.  There’s a long bar which seats twelve people made of yellow poplar from back east – people love it!  With its tables, the Hungry Hunter can accommodate about sixty people. (Photos *3-5)

During my time in Yaak, I stayed in the Wolf Room at the Yaak River Lodge, where I had great conversations with John (besides those over beer at the bar) and reveled in the breakfasts featuring unforgettable blueberry pancakes.

The Lodge remains intact other than the bunkhouse which slept twelve.  There’s an added benefit to the bar. Those imbibing too heavily at the bar can just walk down the hall and rack out in the Wolf Room or one of the other rooms – all with character – then wake up  in the morning to the smell of bacon and take the short walk to the dining room for pancakes, hashbrowns, eggs and bacon with unlimited Folger’s Coffee. 

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John also bought two food trucks – one that serves tacos, Philly cheese steaks, etc. (also to go) and a larger one to supplement the kitchen.  And their prices are very reasonable!!

John’s wife, Dallas, who is a dedicated teacher and counselor is teaching in Washington and the family has moved east of Yakima. John has been commuting regularly to Yaak and will spend most of the summer there. (Photo *6-7)

Stay tuned for more stories about the Hungry Hunter and see the connection between the picture of John and Don with Benedictine Beer I presented to him in 2019, relates to the next segment of this post.

Hungry Hunter Logo *8

The Benedictine Brewery – More Accolades!

I’ve mentioned this wonderful Benedictine Monk – owned and operated – brewery many times and was fortunate enough to be involved in the planning before it opened in the fall of 2018. Fr. Martin Grassel, the Procurator (CFO) of the Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary – a former software engineer before seminary, is also the General Manager and Head Brewer of the enterprise – one reason he gets by on very little sleep because his primary dedication is being a Benedictine Monk.

A Man of God and Excellent Brewer

Notwithstanding a number of skeptics, the Brewery and St. Michael Taproom have soared since the erection of the structure in November, 2017 at an old fashioned “barn raising”, where over 125 monks, priests, seminarians and members of the Mount Angel community started in the morning with a concrete slab.   

Bolstered by a wonderful buffet lunch, by the end of the day, the frame of the structure was completed. (Be sure to check out the amazing videos in this Beerchaser post “Beam Me Up.”

The Brewery’s motto – “Taste and Believe” – was in full force from the inception. Since that time, the beautiful Taproom has been extended with an expansive patio and Fr. Martin has increased his beer offerings – now about ten on tap including the original Black Habit.  

He has developed, not only a local, but a regional following for his excellent beer and people repeatedly clamor for its availability – now only at the Brewery itself or the Abbey Bookstore – a short walk away on the beautiful Abbey Hillside.

Unfortunately, one of the other Monk-owned Breweries – Spencer Brewery – in Massachusetts, which was formed by the Trappist Monks eight years ago, just announced it was closing due to financial reasons. With that closure, there will be only four ongoing monk-owned breweries in the US.

Jeff Alworth, prolific author and one of the nation’s leading beer experts (shown below at the Benedictine structure-raising in 2017) posted a very informative piece on his Beervana Blog entitled, “The Beer Market is Rough – Even for Monks.”   It contrasts the business plan of Spencer Brewery with Fr. Martin’s successful strategy. Jeff also did a subsequent post entitled “Benedictine Brewery Thriving – both are good articles.

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And furthering the exposure of Fr. Martin and his brewery, internationally recognized micro-craft industry consultant, Sam Holloway, who is also a full professor at the University of Portland, posted an outstanding nine-minute video interview of Fr. Martin on his “Crafting a Strategy” site.  (*10-12)

Sam is President of CAS which is:

“.. a learning community which pursues understanding oneself, the industry and business strategy while combining the three wisely to craft a business.  We provide a platform for members in communities to engage with others as they learn.”  

Sam gave us some meaningful advice during the planning stages in 2016, and has been a good friend of the Brewery since that time.  Fr. Martin is a devoted follower of the CAS site and it has enhanced his brewery and business acumen.

Expect to hear more good reports on Fr. Martin and the Benedictine Brewery going forward!

Cheers

External Photo Attribution

*1.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons –https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Jones.jpg) This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Secisek at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide.

*2   Southern Poverty Law Center: (https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2013/two-members-notorious-kehoe-family-arrested-again)

* 3-5+8 Hungry Hunter Saloon Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/hungryhuntersaloon (religionunplugged.com)

* 6-7  Runkle Facebook Pages (https://www.facebook.com/john.runkle.73) (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100017127797846)

*9  Spencer Brewery Facebook

* 10-12  Crafting a Strategy Website (https://craftingastrategy.com/)

The Trains – The Trains – FDW Beerchaser-of-the-Quarter

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(Welcome back to Thebeerchaser.  If you are seeing this post through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title above to see all of the photos and so the narrative is not clipped or shortened.)

In several previous Beerchaser posts, about my wonderful Dad, I mentioned the Lionel Trains that he used to acquire in the 1950’s from his good friend who managed the Toy Department in Cincinnati’s Shilitos Department Stores.

Dad built large train tables in our basement where we had expansive layouts to display the trains and run them to our hearts’ content.   We spent hours in the basement doing that – when it was not flooded with sewage because of a municipal infrastructure flaw.

I chronicled this part of the story in this same post including FDW’s dramatic appearance in front of the City of Madeira City Council.  That’s when he testified – walking up front carrying a large bag which he unveiled to reveal a bucket of raw sewage which filled the Council Room with pungent odors for the rest of the meeting.

The family has kept these trains throughout the sixty years since we last had them set up in Ohio.  They have been stored and occasionally admired and moved across the country.  Thanks to my brother-in-law, Dave Booher, who inventoried them, took photos of many of them and reminded me that he and his wife are paying storage fees for them……

Dave Booher – outstanding brother-in-law who has absorbed storage fees for twenty + years……..

I’ll devote this post to the Lionel trains including photos of those beloved “toys!”  I say “toys”, because Dad used to buy them throughout the year and save them for Christmas Day when we would always get at least one new engine and the cars that came with it in addition to accessories such as a coal loader or water tower and infrastructure such as bridges and switches.

Being too young to fully appreciate the craftsmanship in these authentic replicas of the real thing, we were always more interested in presents such as baseball bats, bicycles, etc.  As we got older, however, we realized that when we opened these wrapped trains, that FDWs’ eyes would light up like a kid’s on Christmas morning….  As it states on the Lionel Corporation website:

“Soon Dads too were encouraged to join Youngsters in model train enthusiasm, to further father-son bonding. With growing prosperity, Lionel’s layouts cropped up in more living rooms, especially at Christmas.”

A Little History

(Note:  External photo attribution is at the end of the post.  All of the pictures in this post of actual trains and accessories are from those we still have in storage.)

Over a century of craftsmanship…..*1

Lionel was founded by Joshua Lionel Cowen who founded Lionel Manufacturing Company in the heart of New York City in 1900.

“During Lionel’s early days, Americans were captivated by the railroads and awed by electricity, still a rarity in many homes. Lionel’s first trains were powered by wet-cell (acid-filled!) batteries, soon replaced by the 110-volt electric transformer. By 1906, with the introduction of preassembled track and a selection of engines and cars, the Lionel we know today was already taking shape.”

The history of the Lionel Corporation could be a great PBS documentary and it thrived through the early to mid-20th century, but after 1970, is filled with corporate reorganizations, lawsuits for copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation and in 2006, Lionel filed for bankruptcy from which it emerged in 2008. 

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For example, it became a holding company of General Mills in 1970:

“….due to General Mills’ cost-cutting measures, production of Lionel-branded toy and model trains returned to profitability, but sometimes at the expense of quality. Detail was often sacrificed, and most of the remaining metal parts were replaced with molded plastic….

The year 1982 brought General Mills’ poorly received move of train production from the United States to Mexico. Some Lionel fans were angry simply because the trains had been made in the United States for more than 80 years, while others criticized the quality of the Mexican-produced trains. Lionel production returned to the United States by 1984.”

One wonders if it learned from past errors, however, as it outsourced its manufacturing to China and Korea in 2001 and Viet Nam in 2021.

And our O-gauge trains were not cheap plastic.  They were solid and built to last – diecast with a metal alloy that was a combination of recycled aluminum, zinc and magnesium.  There was no lead and they didn’t rust.  In 1973, Lionel started producing the smaller HO gauge and plastic train products.  

Engines and Trolleys

The engines and self-contained units such as trolleys were the highlights.   The detail and quality made these 1950’s “toys” into collectors’ items. The engines would whistle and blow their horns and the steam engine shown in the bottom slide below would actually produce smoke.

Accessories and Infrastructure

The accessories were always fun because they gave a sense of realism to the layout that would not be attained by just watching the trains go around the track.   A perfect example was the barrel loader:

“The Barrel Loader No. 362 was introduced in 1952 (when Thebeerchaser was four years old….!) and was available until 1957. This was another of those vibrating accessories. In this case, a vibrator placed beneath the metal ramp would, when activated, move the barrels up the ramp where they would be loaded into a car waiting on the track.

Another example was the Culvert Loader which was more sophisticated: 

“An optical beam senses when a culvert gondola is present, automatically triggering the hazard lights on top of the conveyor, followed three seconds later by the light in the watch tower!.”

And my final example – the Icing Station.  As Lionel stated:

“Keeping perishable freight cool was a tough job before the days of mechanical refrigeration. Watch as the figure pushes the ice cubes from the chute down to the awaiting Ice car (sold separately). Position the Ice car at the platform and load it up.”

The train layout was always enhanced with the authentic neon (cardboard) signs and items such as train stations, oil derricks, water towers and bridges.

Compare the quality and durability of the tracks, switches and infrastructure with what is typically available today.

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Box Cars, etc.

We would load up the sturdy engines with box cars, cattle cars and specialty cars that carried everything from logs, cattle and electric transformers to search lights, airplanes and boats.

“….The newest feature on the 3520 Rotating Searchlight Car is a remote-control operated on-off switch. This switch allows the operator to activate Lionel’s ‘Vibro-motor’ which in turn begins rotating the searchlight lens.” 

And what better way to end the photos of our partial train inventory than with a caboose! 

“The 6417 caboose is a nice caboose with good detail. Standard features include: painted bodies and lettering, illumination, bar-end trucks with a single operating coupler, plastic end railing detail on each end plus plastic brake-wheels and roof ladders.”

Now I suppose we, at one time as many collectors, thought, “We’ll save these trains because they keep getting more valuable and we’ll sell them for thousands of dollars after we no longer want them.”

Well, like many collectables such as Hummels, cameras, Beanie Babies and old records (I  used to have a slew of my Dad’s old 78 RPMS from the Great Band Era.…), just because something is old doesn’t mean it keeps appreciating or even retains its value.   

Photo Apr 23, 1 50 16 PM

FDW’s 45 and 78 RPMs albums

For example, the caboose shown above is listed on e-bay from $18.94 to $55.  The impressive engine shown at the start of the post, which was only manufactured for two years, (1956-8) would go for around $450.  And our family trains got a lot of wear which decreases their value. According to one collectors’ resource:

“Buyers truly want all-original trains that have never been tampered with. Once the originality has been compromised, prices take a steep turn downward from their original counterparts. Pricing is always subjective among buyers and sellers. Today’s train market is increasingly becoming a buyer’s market due to that supply and demand.”

That said, I’m not sure that we could get rid of our trains anyway and maybe we’ll let our kids have that honor…… They made FDW and us happy for many years and now just looking at them, we know that although the company changed hands many times, the name is still identified with quality.

And finally we can take comfort in the fact that according to Wikipedia:

“In 2006, the Lionel electric train was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, along with the Easy-Bake Oven. It was the first time an electric toy had ever been inducted.”

A co-inductee into the National Toy Hall of Fame! *3

External Photo Attribution

*1  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lionel-Logo.png)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  Lionel, LLC – 17 July 2019.

*2  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lionel_Corporation_Logo.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author:  Zachary578 – 17 February 2015.

*3  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_first_three_versions_of_the_famous_Easy-Bake_oven.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author:  Bradross63 – 26 February 2015.

Beer and Politics – Part 4

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Well Beerchaser followers, below is the fourth installment of my contributions to The Oregon Way Online Newsletter.   I’ve tried to suggest the perfect watering holes for each of the major Oregon Gubernatorial candidates to visit during their campaigns. The two candidate covered in this installment Bill Sizemore and Jessica Gomez are both Republicans – perhaps that’s because there are nineteen of them versus only ten for the Dems.

Below is the text from The Oregon Way supplemented by photos in an effort to make it more interesting:

Thebeerchaser’s Advice for Gubernatorial Candidates Bill Sizemore and Jessica Gomez

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Republican Candidate Bill Sizemore – Running on his record?? * 1

(External photo attribution * at the end of the post)

One might question why with nineteen (or for that matter any) Republicans vying, a candidate with the following record would file to run for Governor:

In 2000, a jury found his organizations guilty of civil racketeering and they were fined $2.5 million.

In 2008, he spent a night in jail for contempt of court.

In 2011, he pleaded guilty to three counts of felony tax evasion.

That said, self-awareness has never been Bill Sizemore’s strong suit and as such, he should pay a visit to Church Bar in Southeast Portland for a campaign stop (and reflection). 

The bar’s motto is “Eat, Drink, Repent.” The latter of which is especially relevant since the Oregonian in a three-part article about Sizemore’s “Trail of Debt” he allegedly left behind, stated it included an outstanding loan from a fellow church member. Sizemore said he repaid it….

One of the bar’s nice features is a photo booth – a “confessional” in which a high-quality digital camera takes photos of the “penitents” and through a custom-made software program transmits them to social media.  He would not have to pay for this service as his multiple mug shots have been seen by thousands of Oregonians through the years.

I visited Church in 2013 with my former law firm colleague, John Mansfield – a bright intellectual property lawyer.  I tried to get John to cause a stir and gain some publicity by emulating 16th century theologian, Martin Luther, and tacking 95 patents to the door of Church to commemorate Luther’s posting of his 95 Theses at the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg in 1517. (You’ll notice Mansfield’s’ resemblance to Luther in the photos below)

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Sizemore could commemorate his questionable legacy by posting the texts of eight of his initiative petitions ranging from property tax, insurance and light rail and let voters see how they comport with his future vision for Oregon.

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And since he earned a theology degree from Portland Bible College and then taught Old Testament History at his alma mater, perhaps a visit to Church Bar would let him reflect on the God of Mercy and Forgiveness in the New Testament rather than the God of Wrath and Fury in the Old!

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The Campus of Portland Bible College *5

 

Republican Candidate Jessica Gomez

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Jesse Gomez is one of the less known Republican candidates, but one who is impressive.  At age nine, she transitioned into the role of caregiver for her three younger siblings in New York and experienced homelessness when she was a teenager after her family moved to Oregon and her parents divorced. 

Gomez lacked a secure place to live for a year while a teenager in Oregon. She then moved to the East Coast to live with her grandmother, finished high school and then graduated from community college and worked at a semi-conductor company.

In 2003, at age twenty-six, she and her husband founded a micro-chip manufacturing facility in Southern Oregon. She’s now CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices which has 26 employees, 14 of whom are women and 11 are persons of color. Her civic and charitable activities are admirable.

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Gomez should visit the Tide Pool Pub in Depoe Bay where, besides tasting the best pizza on the Oregon Coast, she would relate to Vicki, the quirky and personable owner who told us about going to “Take Your Kid to Work Day” in Iowa when her dad worked in a beef slaughterhouse.

The Tide Poll Pub
Vicki with Steve and Dave

And given Jesse’s on-time struggle for survival, she would also appreciate the “Tank of Death” as described by Matt Love in his Letitpour.net blog:

“….a salt-water glass coffin – It’s packed with all manner of marine creatures caught by local fishermen who bucket in their curious finds and dump them in.  Eels, crabs, sea bass, perch, Dick Cheney, octopi and urchins all end up in the mix……….

According to the bartender, aquatic creatures regularly stage a battle royal to the death and the tank serves as a Roman arena of savagery and merciless predation – with bets slapped down and accelerated drinking when the water turns a creamy, cloudy red.”   

Based on her entrepreneurial instincts, she should interact with voters at the Caldera Brewery – only fourteen miles from her residence in Medford. Founded in 1997 as a small ten-barrel brewery, by Jim Mills, it has expanded its brewing capacity and has a tap-house which is one of the largest restaurants in Ashland.

2016-09-27 20.22.34

The company employs over 100 people and ships its award-winning beer internationally.  (They also have one of the most impressive displays of bottles I’ve seen in eleven years of Beerchasing.)

They were the first craft brewery in Oregon to brew and can their own beer and ship their cans and bottles to seventeen states and six countries. Their sustainability practices are also admirable.

Any Oregon voter would be well-served to chat with Jessica Gomez, Jim Mills from Caldera Brewing or Vicki from the Tide Pool – small business owners who are the lifeblood of this state.

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External Photo Attribution

*1  Wikimedia Commons – (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bill_Sizemore.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author:  Pete Forsyth 20 May 2008.

*2 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Martin_Luther,_1529.jpg) This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer.

*3 Bill Sizemore Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=133217049285202&set=pb.100077907232102.-2207520000.)

*4 Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Book_of_Genesis.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: John Snyder 11 May 2019.

*5 Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Bible_College#/media/File:

Portland_Bible_College_campus_-_Portland,_Oregon.JPG) 

Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.   Author: M.O. Stevens 1 May 2011.

*6-7,9-10 Jessica Gomez for Governor Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/jessicagomezforgovernor/photos)

*8  Rogue Valley Microdevices Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RogueValleyMicrodevices

photos/a.154324724593574/1507140455978654/

 

 

 

Beer and Politics – Part 3

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Image Courtesy of Pam Williams

Well Beerchaser followers, below is the third installment of my contributions to The Oregon Way Online Newsletter.   I’ve tried to suggest the perfect watering holes for each of the major Oregon Gubernatorial candidates to visit during their campaigns.

The article below was published about Democratic candidate Tobias Read who now serves as the Oregon State Treasurer.

Tobias Read *1
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It’s an effort to demonstrate that this Beerchasing environment is ideal for really having a constructive and meaningful dialogue – rather than superficial blathering – with voters in the State.   And I would suggest that this could be a model for candidates not just in Oregon, but in any jurisdiction.

This premise was reinforced just this week with an article in Willamette Week in which they interviewed people in the new Oregon Congressional District about candidate Carrick Flynn, a political neophyte in Oregon, but one who has garnered campaign contributions in the proximity of $5 million from a cryptocurrency billionaire. 

This Yamhill County resident and I have the same thoughts about relating to a candidate:

“‘This gentleman, who’s funding him in the Caribbean? I don’t know if I’m going to see him at my local watering hole,’ says Ramsey McPhillips, a Yamhill County farmer who sits on the boards of four local nonprofits. ‘He just has something to do with the blockchain.’”  (Emphasis added)

The Oregon Way Article

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After eight years when the State should be on a course to crest waves, Oregon has simply been treading water.  Now we need strong Gubernatorial leadership – I’m not suggesting by which party, but the candidates should have the skills to pull Oregonians together.

So, I will continue my chronology of the best taverns/breweries for each major candidate to have a meaningful campaign dialogue based on my ten years of visiting Oregon watering holes.

Democrat Tobias Read has impressive education and experience – undergrad at Willamette U and MBA at University of Washington with private sector and legislative experience before becoming State Treasurer for the last eight years.

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*5

That said, Read would be inclined to answer the question, “Do you have trouble making decisions?” with the response, “Well, yes and no!?”  As Jeff Gudman, his opponent for Treasurer aptly stated, “Tobias Read is Oregon’s self-proclaimed financial navigator who does not navigate.”  And based on his actions and statements, Read’s view of the role of Treasurer is not to solve the PERS problem, but just to invest for the best return.

There are two bars that would help Read understand Oregon. The Mad Dog Country Tavern is a wonderful bar in Sawyer’s Landing on Newport’s Yaquina Bay I visited in 2014. 

Pauline, the cordial bartender told us that her “regulars” are people from the adjoining RV Park, summer tourists and Newport residents – a good group for Tobias to meet because they have diverse interests and economic situations and often feel estranged from the power of State government.

My friend, Matt Love, relates the origin of the name in his Letitpour.net blog account:

“….Years ago, a large log rested in front of the tavern.  It had seatbelts attached to it.  In some sort of contest, certain patrons would strap themselves in and then proceed to consume a bottle(s) of a particular brand of fortified wine.  The “winner” remained sitting  upright.  Thus Mad Dog Tavern.”  

The pickled eggs and Reser’s Hot Mama sausages fermenting, in big jars might offend his sensibilities. However,  an oft-quoted Mad Country story about a nearby tough dive bar eight miles east in Toledo perfectly illustrate his equivocation on a crucial timber issue in the area – the Elliot State Forest.

The Elliot State Forest *6

Again from Matt Love: During the 1971 filming of the movie “Sometimes a Great Notion,”

Enter star, Paul Newman carrying a chainsaw, exactly like the hard-ass logger character, Hank Stamper, he happened to be portraying…….Wordless, alone, Newman, who according to various biographies……has at times drank to considerable excess, fired up his chainsaw. 

He sawed the legs off the pool table.  It crashed to the floor.  Stunned logging locals looked on.  They did nothing.  Newman left, perhaps later sending a check to cover the damage. Perhaps not.”  (*7 and *8)

And this story is a perfect analogy for Tobias “cutting the legs” out on his constituents when he changed his position on the Elliot State Forrest – three times – once while a Legislator and then twice more as Treasurer.

He could finish his bar visits at nearby Hoovers Pub and Grill, just south of Newport on Highway 101.  My visit reinforced what I saw earlier at the Mad Dog.  A guy’s wife from the RV Park came in with her husband and handed Pauline an envelope with $125 in it.   She left and Pauline “fed” it to him over the next 45 minutes until it was gone – a regular routine.

Hoovers was Alice’s Tavern in 1978, but that was after the mini-mart, gas station and petting zoo with a live alligator and black bear were decommissioned. We noticed a sign promoting their jello-shots stating, “Jello isn’t just for kids…,” – something maybe Tobias might relate to.  There was also a sign promoting a charter fishing service that disappeared along the way……

As we were having a pint, a kid who couldn’t have been eighteen came in and burned through $70 on a video poker machine in no more than 15 minutes.  As Matt Love write in Letitpour.net:

“In 1991 when the Oregon Legislature directed the Oregon Lottery to allow video poker in taverns and bars…..it was a frenzy. Then in 2005, line games were introduced into Oregon’s taverns and bars…..

Sure, the pool and darts continue, but these taverns are not the same, and I know because I drank beer in them before they were enlisted by the state to raise revenue from the pockets of vulnerable, occasionally inebriated people.  What is especially sad is to have witnessed how video poker slowly transformed taverns from gritty bastions of independence into de facto tax collectors for the state….Rest in peace Oregon tavern.”

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One also has to ask, what has Read done to mitigate Oregon’s reliance on this regressive and addictive form of tax collection?

Perhaps he should consider the description of former Legislative colleague Mark Hass, who said of Read, “If you play it safe in politics, you won’t make friends and you won’t make enemies and you won’t get anything done. “That’s Tobias.”

Perhaps he should consider the description of former Legislative colleague Mark Hass, who said of Read, “If you play it safe in politics, you won’t make friends and you won’t make enemies and you won’t get anything done. “That’s Tobias.”

Read could consider this while downing a new brew – a Milque Toast IPA – described as “Like Coors Light – Only Without the Body!”

 

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Tobias Read has the credentials and intelligence to make a difference for Oregon. Will interacting with the regulars in these bars and considering their history and ambiance give him and other gubernatorial candidates added insight on how they could make Oregon better? Stay tuned for some additional suggestions.

External Photo Attribution 

*1  Wikimedia Commons (http://*2 Wikimedia Commons )  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Oregon National Guard from Salem, Oregon, United States.  20 September 2017.

*2  Tobias Reed Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=414951043784282&set=pb.100058081688470.-2207520000..&type=3). 

*3  Wikimedia Commons – This work is in the public domain in the U.S. because it is an edict of a government, local or foreign. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_State_Treasurer#/media/File:Seal_of_Oregon.svg) http://By Svgalbertian – This vector image includes elements that have been taken or adapted from this file:, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6684371

*4  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tobias_Read.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Author:  LA for TJR  22 March 2012.

*5  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UW_Tower_from_38th_%26_Eastern.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  SounderBruce – 27 May 2015.

*6  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elliott_State_Forest.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Oregon Department of Forestry – 5 November 2013.

*7  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Newman#/media/File:Paul_Newman_1970.jpg)  By Photographer unknown. Published and distributed by Maron Films. – Scan via Heritage Auctions. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114043860.

*8  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FEMA_-_17022_-_Photograph_by_Ed_Edahl_taken_on_10-11-2005_in_Texas.jpg).  This image is a work of a Federal Emergency Management Agency employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As works of the U.S. federal government, all FEMA images are in the public domain in the United States.

*9 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coors_Light_logo.svg)  This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. 

 

Beer and Politics – Part 2

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Photo courtesy of Pam Williams

This is the second installment of my contribution to The Oregon Way – an online newsletter devoted to public policy issues and civic dialogue.   As I explained in my first post – “Beer and Politics – Part 1” – regardless of where a candidate is running for office, a watering hole is the perfect venue for them to have a meaningful dialogue with voters.

Part 1 was a generic suggestion for Democrats – The Ship Tavern – and Republicans – Renners’ Bar and Grill.  The narrative below is for two individual Oregon Gubernatorial candidates – Independent Betsy Johnson and Republican Bob Tiernan.

The Beerchaser’s Recommendations – Part 2 – The Oregon Way

In the first article, I described two bars that candidates for governor for each party should visit to have meaningful dialogue with Oregonians – not campaign rhetoric, but down-to-earth conversations with bar regulars over a pint of beer – whether it be PBR or a craft brew.

I will now suggest the best bars or breweries for each major candidate to visit and chat with regulars based on their backgrounds, their personalities, and political positions. Let’s start with Betsy Johnson – the independent. If elected, Betsy will have to walk the tightrope between both parties – to form coalitions.

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*2

So why not have a gathering at the Coalition Brewery in SE Portland. Coalition means a joining of forces or thought to form unit as a whole – a worthy goal for State Government. It was one of the first breweries I visited for my blog – Thebeerchaser.com – in 2011.

Its goal was to bring the community together through beer. In 2016, Coalition also became the first Oregon brewery to make a commercially produced CBD infused beer – Two Flowers IPA – so it would have also provided Betsy a chance to talk cannabis policy implications. Unfortunately, it’s too late as Coalition was purchased by Gorges Beer Company in 2019.

*3

So, let’s go to Central Oregon. Betsy’s birthplace was Bend and her dad, Sam, represented the region by serving in the Oregon House for six terms and finished his public service as Mayor of Redmond.

The historic Horseshoe Tavern on Prineville’s Main Street is more than eighty-years-old and represents that region perfectly. One review stated, “Good food, huge portions, $1 beer, friendly staff. What more could you want?”

The Horseshoe Tavern opened in 1941

The bartender told me that the most challenging customers were off-duty state troopers, who made her trucker patrons look tame. In an era where law enforcement budgets are challenged, the troopers would want to chat with Betsy about the State Police budget. And she and her gritty personality would have no problem downing an Angry Balls Cocktail – Angry Orchard Hard Cider and a drop of Fireball.

Betsy has represented the Coast and needs to mingle with this group. Rather than a bar per se, I’d suggest that her campaign convene a picnic on the grounds of Beaver Firearms and Groceries on Highway 101 in Cloverdale, where the owner advises you to “Come in to Get a Snack and a Handgun.” Attendees will find the PBR and Budweiser right next to the ammunition for sale.

*4

Let’s move onto one of the Republican candidates – Bob Tiernan – who had a reputation for being extremely contentious and conflict-oriented when serving in the Oregon House. (And not just because he’s a lawyer. I worked with lawyers for forty years and most are wonderful people).

*5
*6

He should mingle with the regulars at Gil’s Speakeasy in SE Portland – one of my favorite dive bars. And, as the name suggests, you won’t find any sign on the exterior indicating it is a bar. Gil’s motto is “We’re the nicest assholes in town.” The candidate might improve his communication style if he learned to how to interact with more amicable assholes.

And if he worried about downing one too many pints during his chats with the regulars, he could pony up four quarters, and use the coin-operated breathalyzer – one of only two that I’ve seen on my Beerchaser tour.

Then Mr. Tiernan should hit the Springwater Station – right on the Springwater Corridor where it intersects 82nd Avenue in SE Portland.

It is appropriate not because he would like the somewhat dingy interior (“green decor, dim chandeliers with leaf designs”) and the unremarkable Chinese food (it’s tried to transition from a dive bar to a lounge and is now transitioning to a sports bar), but because he could mingle with cyclists who stop in for a pint while riding the Springwater Trail like my friend, David Dickson and I did in 2015.

David Dickson

Since in 2019, he sued (and won) to keep cyclists out of his private California community, which, according to one local, limited access to the transit corridor by disproportionately impacting students in the area who use the route to get to school and for training on the high school mountain biking team.

If Tiernan talked to the cyclists stopping in, he might see that Oregon byways are not “clogged with ‘packs’ of cyclists….and bicyclists (don’t) run into small children, hit vehicles and destroy property.”

After this dialogue he could stroll a short way down the Trail and learn about homelessness, by talking to those “camping” along the Trail. That’s because on his campaign website, rather than offering any specifics he states:

“It needs to be determined if the cause of the homeless situation is a lifestyle choice, or if the person is really down on their luck….First there has got to be a short-term solution to get the homeless off the streets, then the long-term solution is to address the reasons why people are homeless.”

Now that’s a platitude!

*7

With stops at Gil’s Speakeasy and the Springwater Station, in addition to talking to potential voters, he might also enhance his empathy quotient – something positive for any political candidate regardless of party.

External Photo Attribution

*1  Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Betsy_Johnson_2009.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  Author: Oregon Department of Transportation – 9 July 2009.

*2  Betsy Johnson for Governor Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=379252287343580&set=a.335226288412847).

 *3  (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coalition-brewing-portland-2?select=JxcK3CqdgoCZN0X_izF8Kg).

*4  Beaver Firearms and Grocery Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.868932676609676&type=3).

*5  Bob Tiernan for Governor Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/

108919638384715/photos/pb.100078045984917.-2207520000../108945471715465/?type=) 

*6  Bob Tiernan for Governor Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=128872499724282&set=pb.100078045984917.-2207520000..&type=3).

*7  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Portland_homeless_tent_camp.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.  Author: Graywalls 3 June 2020. 

 

Beer and Politics – Part 1

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The Oregon State Capitol Building *1

Thebeerchaser studiously avoids political controversy although sometimes making observations on policy issues.   That said, if you read the last blog post entitled “Thebeerchaser’s April Acknowledgements,” you will read about an admirable young man named Kevin Frazier – graduating this spring from Berkley Law to take a one-year clerkship for the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court. 

Kevin Frazier

Besides his other accomplishments, Kevin, has been the Editor of an outstanding newsletter/blog named “The Oregon Way,” – a compendium of articles on public policy and current political issues by writers throughout the state.

Kevin suggested that I write several articles recommending the perfect bar or brewery for each of the major Oregon Gubernatorial candidates (there’s a slew as you’ll see below) to visit – to chat with constituents to find out what was on their minds outside of a political rally.

Now I know that many followers of this blog live a long way from Oregon, but I’m suggesting a model which is transferable to any jurisdiction.  What better place to have meaningful dialogue than over a pint of beer in a watering hole?  Regardless of whether someone is running for office in Missouri, Montana or Mozambique, they should belly up to the bar!

Below is the first of a number of installments that were published on The Oregon Way.  Check it out and consider subscribing.

The Oregon Governor’s race has received intense scrutiny in recent months. From the controversial lawsuit regarding, former New York Times Columnist, Nicholas Kristof’s residency to the late entrance of additional candidates from both parties and the viable candidacy of an “unaffiliated” candidate, speculation, speechifying, and sound bites have defined the May 2022 Primary.  (* External photo attribution at the end of the post).

Sorry Nick – you didn’t qualify for the ballot….*2

But how does one who wants to go beyond the surface of these candidates’ (16 Democrats, 21 Republicans and 1 Independent) platforms determine substance. As Jeff Gudman wrote in a recent piece for The Oregon Way, entitled “Oregon’s Next Governor:”

“….it is easier to speechify, bloviate if you will, then to do the hard follow up work that is not as exciting as making a pronouncement of some new program or initiative. Don’t talk in platitudes like investing in the 21st century workforce or serving the under-served. Be serious, be specific and then provide the sound bites.”

That’s a great point, but it occurred to me, “I want to know what makes these people tick. How do they relate to others, what’s important in their lives besides politics and what do they think about day-to-day issues Oregonians face?”

The Oregon Legislature *3

To really understand a candidate and his or her ability to relate to everyday voters, you have to do more than know their party affiliation. I’ve been a member of both political parties and unaffiliated and I worked for five years in the Clackamas County Elections Department, so I have a decent grasp of each party’s values, attitudes, and without stereotyping – the personalities of their candidates.

I propose a remarkable, albeit improbable solution to get a better sense of the true character and relatability of each candidate. It’s a solution based on my main avocation since 2011 when I retired as the COO of a large regional law firm based in Portland.

My hobby is visiting and reviewing bars and breweries and writing about the experience in my blog entitled Thebeerchaser.com. The narratives aren’t about beer but the watering holes themselves – the history, the regulars, the bartenders, and distinguishing features.

Originally the goal was to include just Portland bars, but with retirement travel, it expanded. After eleven years, I’ve reviewed almost 400 establishments – all over Oregon and throughout the US and a few in Europe. And the conversations have been remarkable.

Essayist Samuel Johnson (not candidate Betsy’s Dad!) reinforced this idea about the suitability of a tavern for this dialogue:

“There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn … As soon, as I enter the door of a tavern, I experience an oblivion of care, and a freedom from solicitude: when I am seated…(wine/beer) there exhilarates my spirits, and prompts me to free conversation and an interchange of discourse”

Samuel Johnson *4

In future articles here on the Way, I’ll suggest some specific watering holes for the individual candidates to get a better sense of Oregon, but I’d first offer these two bars as a great option for all Democrats and Republicans.  And these two favorite Beerchasing establishments are both within two blocks of each other in Multnomah Village.

The Ship Tavern

The Ship Tavern would be a perfect place for all candidates to chat with Democrats and get a better sense of their perspective. Opened in 1946 in what was once a garage, it serves peanuts in the shell which the patrons throw on the floor. As one reviewer stated:

“The Ship isn’t anything to write home to Mom about . . . heck it probably isn’t even a place I would tell my Mom I went . . . but it knows what/who it is.

The bar was once home bar for the Portland Rugby Club and the two most popular recording artists on the juke box were Jackson Browne and Waylon Jennings. And in tradition of a notable Democrat – former Mayor Richard Daley – the Ship is a Chicago hangout as evidenced by the fact a few years ago, any time The Bears, the Cubs or the White Sox played, Pabst Old Style Beer – A Chicago favorite – was $1.50 and margaritas and Bloody Mary’s $3.50. 

The Democratic candidates might be uncomfortable with the Big Buck Hunter video game, but would otherwise love this place with 24 taps.

Rennners’ Bar and Grille

Conversely, Renners’ Bar and Grill is a more “establishment” bar focusing on cocktails rather than beer. Established in 1939, it’s a “pull yourselves up by your bootstraps” kind of place Republicans would like – the bar burned completely down in 2018, but fought back and reopened in 2020. It’s known as a tough place with stiff drinks.

And the Republican political chats should  be held in Renners’ Suburban Room – at the back of their bar – “it’s dark, it’s a little gritty…… Fleetwood Mac is somehow always playing and the food is greasy in the best way possible……The wells are a dollar instead of the drafts, and…. they’re the strongest you’ll get west of the river.”

The clientele is very different than the Ship – I talked to a nice guy who was an insurance adjuster. The guy on the other side actually ordered a vodka martini – wanted it shaken not stirred! Republican candidates could get an earful on their campaigns.

In closing, I should add that visiting a bar doesn’t imply nor necessitate drinking in excess (or drinking at all !), the most important thing is to engage in an open conversation with whomever happens to sit down next to you.  Stay tuned for further discussion of “Beer and Politics!”

Cheers!

At the Horner Pub in the Lauterbrunnen, Valley of Switzterland

External Photo Attribution

*1  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_State_Capitol#/media/File:Oregon_State_Capitol_1.jpg)  This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Aboutmovies at English Wikipedia. This applies worldwide. Author:  MO Stevens – 16 March 2007

*2  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nicholas_D._Kristof_-_Davos_2010.jpg)  Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.  Author:  World Economic Forum   30 January 2010

*3  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (http://, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide.)  Author:  M.O. Stevens 12 January 2009.

*4 Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr-Johnson.jpg)  This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer. Source: The Gallery Of Portraits With Memoirs encyclopedia, United Kingdom, 1833.

Thebeerchaser’s April Acknowledgements….

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Find out why this guy should imbue you with optimism – see below!

In these days of both national and international turmoil, divisiveness and lack of civility along with ominous global phenomena, it’s a real challenge to remain optimistic.   So with an initial digression from bar and brewery forays, Thebeerchaser will provide some evidence in this post – perhaps one small step in encouraging you about tomorrow.

We all know the foils of much social media, but at the same time, it opens opportunities for expansive education, exploration and new relationships all over the world.   

I  have seen this in the ten years of Thebeerchasing.com where I’ve developed ongoing dialogue with bloggers ranging from Rich Carbonara  – Beerwanderers.com – a guy whose written several books and gives beer tours in Bavaria, to Theresa, who lives in New Jersey and authors a wonderful blog – the National Parks with T. (Photos below of Acadia and Badlands National Parks)

And they’re diverse!  For example, I get to read compelling narrative and see stunning photos of the Colorado wilderness and  varied sites throughout the world in “Handstands Around the World”  the adventures of Diana, a former gymnast, current college nutrition professor, and “perpetual vacation planner” in Denver. 

She and her fiancé have spent most of the past 4 years exploring the never-ending beauty of Colorado and the surrounding states. She’s also working on summitting as many US state high points as possible (currently at 12/50).  Her blog posts always include a photo of her incredible handstand as her unique trademark.

Handstands Around the World
Diana’s Trademark

A few more also deserve recognition and my ongoing appreciation – Sandra J, a talented professional photographer authors a blog – “Into the Light Adventures” – she and her husband are retired and travel the country documenting the beauty of nature.

Then there’s Kelly MacKay’s blog  Maritime Mac.com – Kelly is a fascinating lady from Canada with an incredible background – twenty years in the thoroughbred racing industry – seven as an exercise rider and thirteen as a successful jockey, ultimately incurring an injury which caused her to change careers.

Besides enhancing her education, she then worked as a trail guide on horseback tours in Ontario, labored in the financial industry and even as a cellphone sales person.  She’s now in her dream job as a Fitness Leader to a Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in Oromocto, New Brunswick, Canada.  Kelly has backpacked around Europe and has been to every US State but Hawaii and Oregon.   Her travelogues are fascinating.

Kelly Mackay

Another – no less interesting  – Color My World where sixty-six year old Charly Holganza, born in then rustic Tagbilaran, in the island of Bohol, Philippines, entered the Philippine Military Academy – he joined the military at 17.  Charly retired in 2012, after spending 37 plus years of devoted service.

Charly Holganza

Charly authors several blogs which embody his theme “Living, loving, learning, leaving a legacy.”   The one I enjoy the most is his cogent and detailed analysis of the NBA – that’s right – an expert across the world with considerable insight.

And Finally, Jadi Campbell grew up in little New England/upstate NY villages, spent summers in a cabin in the woods, and attended a state university on the West coast. She decided at the age of 6 to be a writer, and earned a B.A. in English Literature and worked in corporate America until she became a Licensed Massage Therapist.

Jadi Campell
“Life is a story, waiting to be told.”

Living in Europe since 1992, she  published her first of several awarding-winning books Broken In: A Novel in Stories in 2012. Her second novel Tsunami Cowboys followed in December 2014 and Grounded appeared in May 2016. In 2020 Jadi, published a collection of short stories, The Trail Back Out.  Her blog covers everything from natural beauty to science.

But What About Kevin Frazier?

Biking in the Bay City

So how does Kevin Frazier work into this scenario? In November last year, I came across a blog – The Oregon Way – in which Kevin, the Editor, wrote a very compelling piece on a transportation policy issue.  It also caught my interest because he referenced a dive bar! 

I reached out by e-mail to compliment him – not just on his article, but his excellent on-line publication and we discovered some mutual background and acquaintances.  My follow-up research revealed that we will be witnessing some great things from this young man in the future. 

Through Linked-in I discovered that Keven was first in his Southridge High School class of 495 students in 2012.   In the ten years since, his volunteer and leadership activities, internships in the public and non-profit sector and higher educational achievements are profound.  

*1
Taubman Building at the Kennedy School *2

After graduation from the University of Oregon where he gave the Honors College commencement speech, he earned his Masters in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School while serving as a research intern and graduate teaching assistant.   

He graduates this spring from University of California Berkley School of Law where he was a

*3
Boldt Hall at UC Berkley Law School *4

ter passing the bar exam, he’ll head for Helena, Montana and spend the next two years gaining experience with two prestigious and competitive clerkships –

2022 – Chief Justice Mike McGrath on the Montana Supreme Court
 
2023 – Judge Michael McShane of the US District Court for the District of Oregon
 
And to reinforce the good news, he and his girlfriend, Dalton just got engaged.
 
Kevin and I decided that since COVID would preclude getting together to raise a mug in a dive bar, that we’d have a ZOOM Happy Hour – a great 90-minute conversation we had in January.   
 
We still have not met in person because of travel complications.   A meeting scheduled in San Francisco when my wife and I had planned to road-trip to the Bay City is now canceled because of Thebeerchaser’s herniated disk – that’s another story.
 
Engaged!
With his clerkships, Kevin has handed his editorial responsibilities to colleagues and I will miss his incisive commentary on subjects ranging from the lottery, to wages and living conditions of wilderness firefighters to selecting the judiciary. 
 
I’ll still actively follow The Oregon Way’s piercing commentary on issues ranging from political analysis, tax policy, public health and issues all of us need be informed.  So check it out below:
 

The Oregon Way is a nonpartisan blog that features contributors from around the state and across the political spectrum. You can .visit it here: https://theoregonway.substack.com/

Run by a volunteer team, the Way has no agenda other than reminding Oregonians of our capacity to get stuff done. That’s why the blog welcomes submissions from any and all folks who share a commitment to putting good policy before partisan goals. On this blog, nuance, complexity, and humility are respected and shared. Consider joining the Oregon Way volunteer team or submitting a piece for publication by reaching out to theway@or360.org

But Wait – There’s More….
Kevin and I discussed me making a written contribution to The Way and the result demonstrates that he not only has analytical, but creative skills.  Oregon’s Gubernatorial race has an unbelievable number of candidates – nineteen Republicans, fourteen Democrats and an Independent. 
 
He proposed that I suggest  the perfect bar or brewery for the major candidates to visit during their campaigns – where they could have meaningful dialogue with the regulars based on the history and circumstances of the watering hole.  This was a great idea and watch for the next posts of Thebeerchaser to see the result – something that was quite fun to write.
 
Cheers
 

External Photo Attribution

*1  Facebook page Harvard Kennedy School (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=299945832166112&set=a.299945792166116)  

*2  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taubman_Building.JPG) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Author: Bostonian13  12 June 2013.

*3  Facebook Page – University of California at Berkley Law School (https://www.facebook.com/UCBerkeleyLaw/photos/a.477083278124/1016173790)

  *4  Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boaltsouthside.jpg) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Subject to disclaimers.  Author:  Donutmonger at English Wikipedia  14 July 2006.

Breaking Out at Breakside….

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Well, with COVID and other constraints, my Beerchasing efforts have been curtailed for many months – I’ve covered other issues in the blog. But two weeks ago, we took a small step to get back on the trail with our first inside visit since 2020 – a lunchtime trip to the Breakside Brewery’s Taproom in Lake Oswego – a suburb of Portland, Oregon – the newest of five locations of Breakside Brewery’s offerings.

A welcome foray……after all these months..

“Breakside Brewery opened in 2010 in Northeast Portland as a restaurant and pub brewery and has grown to be a highly regarded regional brewery producing 30,000 barrels annually. The brewery is known for its broad portfolio of award-winning, innovative beers.  In 2019, Breakside became one of only a handful of employee-owned breweries in the country.

In addition to winning many national, international, and regional awards for its beers, Breakside was named Brewery of the Year in 2017 and 2019 at the Oregon Beer Awards and the 2018 Best of Craft Beer Awards.”  (Breakside Website)

The taproom is in the midst of a renewed downtown Lake Oswego that is thriving with new businesses, restaurants and living accommodations.   It’s not fancy, but has room for fifty people at the expansive bar and a few tables inside in addition to a nice outdoor drink rail on the street.

The décor is dark wood with attractive art and posters – a very nice ambiance.  There’s plenty of drink options with 16 beer taps, plus wine, cider and cocktails. The menu is very limited – as one might expect with just a few appetizers, salads and sandwiches.

Andrew, the bartender and cook was an affable guy and made a great sandwich. 

We had the “Up in the Club” – “roasted turkey, smoked sweetheart ham, hickory smoked bacon, white cheddar & pepper jack cheese, pickled onions, mixed greens, dijonaise, on toasted ciabatta, served with kettle chips.”

It was outstanding although at $16, demonstrates the impact of inflation on restaurant prices.

Andrew

Oregonians can be proud of Breakside’s contribution to the Oregon economy, and craft beer scene.  It has enlightened management and a progressive mission.  As reported by Oregon Live’s excellent editor and beer writer, Andre Meunier, in an April 7th article:

“Perennial awards powerhouse Breakside Brewery dominated the 2022 Oregon Beer Awards on Wednesday night, taking home 11 medals and the title of Large Brewery of the Year. 

More than 1,200 beers were submitted by 123 entrants for the competition that determines the best of Oregon beer in 2021. The competition was judged by 72 beer-industry professionals, who tasted without knowing the brewery or beer name of each sample.”

Oregon Live Editor and Beer Writer, Andre Meunier

Willamette Week reinforces the positive vibe by the following description in a 2017 article:

“Breakside is the rare brewery that will please all palates, from casual patio sippers to obsessive beer geeks. That’s born of brewmaster Ben Edmunds’ nonstop experimentation: Every year since 2013, Breakside has brewed 100 different beers.

Want an easy-drinking, perfectly crisp Pilsner? “Liquid Sunshine” is just the vitamin D replacement you need. You could also get a delightful punch in the mouth with the Passionfruit Sour Ale, or just call it a night with the chocolate- and chile-infused, bourbon-barrel-aged Aztec weighing in at 12 percent ABV.”

Check out the Lake Oswego Taproom or one of Breakside’s other locations.   You will enjoy the experience and the beer.

Cheers!